Other forms: yams
A yam is a large starchy tropical root. Boil the yam, pounded yam, a sack of yams.
It is not a sweet potato, whatever American labels say — a true yam is a different plant, far larger and drier, and West Africa grows most of the world's crop. Some kinds are poisonous raw and must be cooked. The name probably came from a West African word.
1nounyamA large starchy tropical root.
“In West Africa, boiled yam is often served with a spicy stew.”
yam is a vegetable.
Portuguese inhame and Spanish name come from a West African word, probably Wolof.
wo
ñàmbi — cassava
Spanish
ñame
Portuguese
inhame
English, today
yam
Portuguese inhame and Spanish ñame, likely from wo ñàmbi (“cassava”) or a related word. The term was spelled yam as early as 1657.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA